Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979)

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog (writer)

Release Date:

17 January 1979 (France)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Jonathan and Lucy live in Wismar and the Count wants a house there. Varna is a port on the Black Sea, close to Dracula's castle.

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Vampire | Castle | Blood | Cross

Awards:

4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Klaus Kinski	...	Count Dracula
Isabelle Adjani	...	Lucy Harker
Bruno Ganz	...	Jonathan Harker
Roland Topor	...	Renfield
Walter Ladengast	...	Dr. Van Helsing
Dan van Husen	...	Warden
Jan Groth	...	Harbormaster
Carsten Bodinus	...	Schrader
Martje Grohmann	...	Mina
Rijk de Gooyer	...	Town official (as Ryk de Gooyer)
Clemens Scheitz	...	Clerk
Lo van Hensbergen
John Leddy	...	Coachman
Margiet van Hartingsveld	...	Vrouw
Tim Beekman	...	Coffinbearer

Also Known As:

Nosferatu the Vampyre (UK) (USA)
Nosferatu - fantôme de la nuit (France)
Nosferatu: Phantom of the Night (International: English title) (literal title)

Runtime:

107 min | USA:96 min (English version)

Country:

West Germany | France

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Spain:13 | Italy:VM14 (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion

Trivia:

The movie was shot simultaneously in German and English.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Dracula breaks in on Lucy Harker at night and talks to her, you can see the tips of his fingers being reflected in the mirror, as well as his face in the top right-hand corner, until Lucy moves in front of it. Later on, Lucy reads that vampires do not have a reflection.

Quotes:

Count Dracula: [subtitled version] Time is an abyss...

Movie Connections:

References Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (1972)

Soundtrack:

Sanctus

Kinski Rules

I saw this as part of a double feature with Aguirre: The Wrath of God. Needless to say, it wasn't an evening of giggles. This is a film from beginning to end about pestilence. There is the actual plague. There are characters who are walking demonstrations of pestilence. There is the sad, defeated, Count who, as we all know, is not happy with his condition, but is programmed to steep himself in blood. The characters of Kinski and Adjani are on a collision course. Only through human sacrifice and lust can this demon be destroyed. It's a gray, striking film, full of sadness and despair. Kinski is visually stunning as the vampire. He is remindful of count Orlock in the Murnau film. There is more sensuality in this film (there are less limitations). Still, like its predecessor, the star of the show is death and the scenes with the rats and the people dancing away their last days, the coffins carried through the streets, are as striking as any performance. Herzog brings out the weight of human despair.